1. Field
Aspects herein relate to nanostructured polyimide networks, carbonized derivatives, related materials, uses thereof, and methods of manufacture.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Three-dimensional porous architectures are a desirable form factor for many materials as they allow installation of new properties into a material not possessed by the non-porous form of a material. Porous architectures possessing nanostructured features, such as nanopores or nanoparticulate solid frameworks, are further desirable in many cases as they can possess new and/or more extreme properties than porous architectures without nanostructured features.
Aerogels are an example of a porous architecture possessing nanostructured features. Aerogels are materials comprised of three-dimensional assemblies of nanoparticles or nanostructures that exhibit high materials and ultra-low densities Aerogel materials are typically produced by forming a gel that includes a porous solid component and a liquid component and then removing the liquid component by supercritically, subcritically, or freeze drying the wet gel to isolate the porous solid component. This porous solid component is an aerogel. Supercritical drying involves the liquid being transformed into a fluid above its critical point and removing the fluid while leaving the porous solid structure generally intact. Subcritical drying involves evaporation of the liquid below its critical point in a way that leaves the porous solid structure generally intact. Freeze drying involves freezing of the liquid component and sublimation of the resulting solid in a way that leaves the porous solid structure generally intact.
The large internal void space in aerogels and other nanostructured and non-nanostructured three-dimensional porous networks generally provides for a low dielectric constant, a low thermal conductivity, and a high acoustic impedance. These materials have been considered for a number of applications including thermal insulation, lightweight structures, and impact resistance.